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Adverbs of time tell us when an action happened, but also for how long, and how often.
EXAMPLES
Putting an adverb that tells us when at the end of a sentence is a neutral position, but these adverbs can be put in other positions to
give a different emphasis. All adverbs that tell us when can be placed at the beginning of the sentence to emphasize the time
element. Some can also be put before the main verb in formal writing, while others cannot occupy that position.
EXAMPLES
Goldilocks later ate some porridge. (this is more formal, like a policeman's report)
EXAMPLES
In these adverbial phrases that tell us for how long, for is always followed by an expression of duration, while since is always followed
by an expression of a point in time.
EXAMPLES
There has not been a more exciting discovery since last century.
EXAMPLES
I am seldom late.
He rarely lies.
Many adverbs that express frequency can also be placed at either the beginning or the end of the sentence, although some cannot
be. When they are placed in these alternate positions, the meaning of the adverb is much stronger.
Stronger position
Weaker position
frequently
generally
normally
occasionally
often
regularly
sometimes
Stronger position
Weaker position
usually
Some other adverbs that tell us how often express the exact number of times an action happens or happened. These adverbs are
usually placed at the end of the sentence.
EXAMPLES
USING YET
Yet is used in questions and in negative sentences to indicate that something that has not happened or may not have happened but
is expected to happen. It is placed at the end of the sentence or after not.
EXAMPLES
Have you finished your work yet? (= simple request for information)
USING STILL
Still expresses continuity. In positive sentences it is placed before the main verb and after auxiliary verbs such as be, have, might,
will. If the main verb is to be, then place still after it rather than before. In questions, still goes before the main verb.
EXAMPLES
I am still hungry.
EXAMPLES
1 + 2 + 3 : She worked in a hospital (1) for two days (2) every week (3) last year.
Adverbs of Attitude
Attitude adverbs usually refer to the whole clause or sentence rather than just to a particular word or phrase. The list of
possible attitude adverbs includes: frankly, clearly, obviously, naturally, fortunately, hopefully, really, surprisingly,
astonishingly and apparently. Their position is quite flexible since they can occur at the beginning and the end of a clause
as well as immediately before the verb and before a complement:
You should note that most adverbs of attitude can also function as adverbs of manner; it depends on how the adverb is
used in a sentence and how it is spoken. The examples should help.
There are some native speakers who still object to the use of hopefully as an adverb of attitude and suggest it should only
be used as an adverb of manner as in its better to travel hopefully but quite why this one word is singled in this way is
not clear since, as we noted above, many of these attitude adverbs can be adverbs of manner too, for example:
But these examples dont seem to upset some people to the same extent as hopefully.